Winner of the coveted gold medal at the Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2013, Vadym Kholodenko captured the attention of jury, audience, and critics alike for powerful, exhilarating performances that “showed the guts of a true superartist” (San Francisco Classical Voice). The young Ukrainian pianist will perform Prokofiev’s thrilling Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major, conducted by Pacific Symphony Music Director Carl St. Clair. In the second half of the program, maestro St. Clair will lead the HSO in Tchaikovsky’s famed Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Pathétique.

Tickets

$13 student rush tickets and $20 military tickets are available with a valid ID (must purchase in person). Based on availability.

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Carl St. Clair, Conductor

Music Director of the Pacific Symphony for more than two decades, Carl St. Clair has become widely recognized for his musically distinguished performances, innovative approaches to programming, and commitment to outstanding educational programs. The largest ensemble formed in the United States during the last forty years, the Pacific Symphony owes its rapid artistic growth to Mr. St. Clair’s astute leadership. Influenced by his close association with Leonard Bernstein, his commitment to the development and performance of new works by American composers is evident in the wealth of commissions and recordings by the Symphony. During the orchestra’s first European tour several years ago, they consistently played to packed houses with rave reviews.

Most recently, Mr. St. Clair has been named Music Director of the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Costa Rica. Now in its 73rd season, the orchestra is a well-established regional and national orchestra serving the entire country.

In the U.S., Carl St. Clair has conducted the Boston Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, The Philadelphia Orchestra, and the symphonies of Atlanta, Detroit, Fort Worth, Houston, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Montreal, Nashville, San Francisco, Sarasota, Seattle, Toronto, and Vancouver, to name a few. Worldwide engagements include numerous orchestras in Europe, South America, Israel, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and Japan. Festival appearances include Schleswig-Holstein, Pacific (Japan), Round Top, Breckenridge, Wintergreen (Virginia), Tanglewood, and the Texas Music Festival in Houston.

Vadym Kholodenko, Piano

Vadym Kholodenko has emerged as one of the most musically dynamic and technically gifted performers of his generation, heralded for interpretations that are “impeccable, tasteful and vibrant, and also something more: imaginative” (Cleveland Plain Dealer). Winner of the coveted gold medal and all special prizes at the Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2013, he is forging an international career throughout Europe, Asia, and North America to great acclaim.

In the 2015–2016 season, Mr. Kholodenko makes debuts with the Atlanta, Eugene, and Hawaii Symphony Orchestras, and also with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in a special concert presented by the San Diego Symphony. He enters the second year of his artistic partnership with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra with the continuation of the Prokofiev piano concerto cycle and chamber projects, and returns to the Rochester Philharmonic. European engagements include debuts with the BBC Scottish, Kristiansand Symphony, Spanish National, and Sydney Symphony Orchestras, and a return to the Norwegian Radio Orchestra. In August 2015, he appeared in Zurich with the Moscow Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra conducted by Vladimir Fedoseyev under the auspices of the Orpheum Foundation for the Advancement of Young Soloists. Recitals will take him to Austin, Budapest, Porto, Vancouver, and other cities around the world.

Concert Conversations with the Guest Artists

Ticket-holders are invited to join us for Concert Conversations, starting one hour before each performance in the Blaisdell Concert Hall. Concert Conversations are included with your ticket — don’t miss out!